The Ultimate LifeSaver

I had the wonderful opportunity last weekend to have my first booksigning even at Barnes and Noble. There was a great turnout, and despite my discomfort at being the center of attention, I loved getting to share the experience with friends who have followed my writing journey a looooonnnnggg time! Particularly my college buddy, Jessica, (namesake in the book) and some of my coworkers and friends from my FIRST JOB in Charlotte, NC (15 years ago!!!). They drove all the way to Asheville to celebrate with me. Wow!!

So, as you can see I decorated my table with some fun stuff. A box for the $50 gift card raffle, scones and gingerbread (straight from England as a gift from my wonderful cousin-in-law, Judy), books (0f course) and….lifesavers.

Why lifesavers?

Well, if you’ve read The Thorn Bearer, you get the reference. It’s a ‘sweet’ theme between my hero and heroine throughout the book, but on a much deeper level there is reference to a “Lifesaver” working his ‘sweetness’ throughout the lives of all the characters.

Also…my poor characters are getting on a sinking ship! Who wouldn’t want a life saver, right?

Tragedies, tensions, and difficulties strike us all. Maybe they don’t all involve childhood secrets or sinking ships, but some can be just as life-threatening, debilitating, devastating, or life-altering. In essence, there are going to be times in life where we are all in danger of drowning under the flood of living in a fallen world. Whether our tragedy comes at our own hands (as a few of my characters discover) or at the hands of others, we are certain of one thing…. no one gets out of this life without some stings and pains along the way, that’s why we all need a true LifeSaver.

There are doctors, counselors, family, and friends who can help us during our broken times, but their reach can only make it so far, because the ultimate issue at the heart of every person, is sin. It’s the whirlpool beneath our skin tugging us under, further and further, and without some divine intervention, we will (inevitably) drown.

But there is a Rescuer for this particular darkness…and only one.

The Ultimate LifeSaver.

John 3:17 – (Jesus said) For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.(ESV)

Colossians 1:13-14 (from The Message paraphrase)

God rescued us from dead-end alleys and dark dungeons. He’s set us up in the kingdom of the Son he loves so much, the Son who got us out of the pit we were in, got rid of the sins we were doomed to keep repeating.

Psalm 91:14-16 (from The Message paraphrase)

“If you’ll hold on to me for dear life,” says God, “I’ll get you out of any trouble. I’ll give you the best of care if you’ll only get to know and trust me. Call me and I’ll answer, be at your side in bad times; I’ll rescue you, then throw you a party. I’ll give you a long life, give you a long drink of salvation!”

God’s best care is at the soul level. Through Christ, He does what no one else can do – cleans our hearts and rescues our souls. The sort of sweetness He brings through His healing goes beyond the trials, sufferings, pains, and heartaches (that will continue to come) because we are still living in a broken world and waiting for a heavenly one.

But he is efficient 🙂 He will use our trials here to make us more and more fit for our new homes and to bring about in us the Ultimate Plan of the Ultimate LifeSaver, because he’s not in it just for today…but for eternity.